Love, Not Quite Unconditional
by Animetor777
Summary: Katara Will you marry me?" he asked his palms sweating his nerves for once getting the better of him. "Of course I will on one condition. You come back with me to the South Pole and follow our engagement traditions."
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.**

_Italics=thinking_

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The blazing sun covered everything with it's golden haze. Burning it streamed down upon the palace gardens of the Fire Nation. Streamed down upon the two lovers sharing a walk and their company with one another. Smiling Zuko looked to his left at the gorgeous water bender by his side. He still couldn't believe that in the three years after the war they had stayed together. That he was lucky enough to have her in his life, to have her as his girlfriend, his love. She caught his glance and smiled back blue eyes shining brightly into the golden ones above her. "It's so peaceful here." She sighed calmly leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, my mother built these gardens as her own personal sanctuary. As her place to hide from court life and all of the pressures of marriage. Speaking of which I heard that Sokka finally proposed." Smiling gently Katara replied,

"Yep, I always knew he would eventually. I think he was just waiting for his carving to get better so that he could make a decent necklace for her." Zuko glanced nervously at his pocket that contained his own proposal necklace. Swallowing a lump in his throat he tried to get the conversation back on the track of marriage.

"But she said yes didn't she?" he asked somewhat nervously.

"Of course she did! Suki's been expecting it for years now! Actually she was just surprised that he hadn't done it sooner. Oh she's going to make such a beautiful bride." Katara sighed, "Zuko you have to send your tailor to them to make her dress. He's the best! You will won't you?"

"Err, yeah, sure, whatever you want." She responded by kissing him gently.

"Thank you Zuko, I knew you would. It's going to be wonderful! Their going to be married on Kyoshi Island but then honeymoon on the south pole. Their there right now making arrangements. Oh that reminds me. We haven't had our annual visit yet this year. When do you think we should go?"

_Curses_ he thought_ off topic again. And I thought that bringing up Sokka and Suki would be the perfect opportunity too. _"Um.. whenever you want to I guess. Hey Katara where would you want to get married?" he knew he was running the risk of revealing his intentions but thought, to heck with it. With slight suspicion in her eyes Katara replied.

"I hadn't really given it much thought. But what's with all this interest in marriage all of a sudden? This isn't like you. Unless…. Zuko are you trying to ask me to marry you?" Zuko jumps back shocked. He'd never expected her to catch on so quickly.

"Wha? No! I was just…just thinking about it. What with Sokka and Suki and all." He finished lamely. Katara gave a snort of laughter.

"Right so I'm just supposed to believe that all of this 'thinking' sprung out of Sokka and Suki's upcoming celebration?"

"Uh yeah?" Zuko answered knowing he was in dangerous territory.

"Come on Zuko I'm not that stupid. Out with it." Slowly Zuko knelt to one knee and pulled out the betrothal necklace he had made of overlapping rubies and sapphires swirling around eachother. His palms sweating and his throat dry Zuko finally asked what he had been longing to all day.

"Katara will you marry me?" _well it's done now, all you can do is wait and pray to Agni that she says yes. _Luckily for Zuko he didn't have to wait long.

"Of course I will Zuko. I'm just mad that Suki won the bet of who would get engaged first. But only on one condition." Not quite allowing himself to be elated Zuko carefully asked what the condition was.

"What would that be?"

"That you come back with to the south pole to follow our engagement customs." Relieved Zuko readily agreed. He stood up and took off her mother's necklace, replacing it with his own.

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_A/N Okay so I know this plot is badly overused but I wanted to do my take on it anyway so here you go. I have the rest of the story planned out, but before I write it I want to know if you guys even want me to continue it. So give me review and let me know what you liked, didn't like, whatever. I will say though that I have my own twist in mind for this plot and it will be hilarious. So hopefully see you soon, _

_Animetor777_


	2. Chapter 2

"_Come back with me to the south pole to follow our engagement customs." Relieved Zuko readily agreed. He stood up and took off her mother's necklace, replacing it with his own._

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**-Chapter 2-**

Waves crashed against the dark metal hull of the ship carrying the Fire Lord and his fiancée. Katara stared down at the water below her, the color of her eyes a reflection of the sea itself. Beside her stood a very annoyed firebender who was practically radiating heat in his anger. "I don't see why we have to go through with this." Zuko had broken a cardinal rule of staying on Katara's good side, don't ask stupid questions. For punishment he received a cool, questioning, glare. "I mean I know your dad, he likes me. Why do we have to go all the way down to the freezing South to make it official?" Katara glared at him once more,

"Zuko it's sounding like you don't want to marry me. If that's the case you should have.." before she could get truly upset she was cut off by warm lips crashing against hers. She laughed against them knowing that he was just complaining because he didn't like the cold. At this thought she rolled her eyes, after all he was the one who had an "inner fire" burning in him at all times. _You'd think that his temper would keep him warm but __**no**__ little Zuzu has to go around avoiding cold like it's the plague. He's gonna have fun at family reunions. _Knowing full well she'd have to deal with his pouting if she voiced this thought she just wrapped her arms around his waist and enjoyed his returning embrace.

"LAND HO!" the scout shouted over the deck choosing to ignore Zuko's mutter of "More like Ice Ho!" she was home. After all the time away every time she came home she felt a rush of joy at the sight of her frozen childhood home. Seeing her brother and father running towards the newly built ice dock she gave an enthusiastic wave.

"SOKKA! DAD! UP HERE!" promptly forgetting everything Iroh had told her about etiquette she jumped into the water then brought up a wave to meet her halfway and take her swiftly to the shore. There she crashed into her brother and father in a pile of blue and white. Zuko calmly walked down the gangplank then walked over to help Katara to her feet. He shook the gloved hands of both Sokka and Hakoda.

"Welcome back son." Zuko went stiff did he know?

"Come on Sparky turn that frown upside down!" Zuko's scowl only deepened with that comment. Unwillingly he shivered. _Dang I forgot how cold it gets down here._ He heard gentle laughter and turned to see Katara grinning at him holding up a thick blue parka. He returned the smile and accepted both the parka and her help in getting it on. Hakoda gave him a good natured hug saying that now he looked like a real water tribe man. Sokka looked his sister over and noticing her new jewelry sent Zuko a suggestive look to which Zuko blushed slightly. Luckily for him only Katara appeared to have noticed. Then Zuko realized that Hakoda was looking at him intently and everyone seemed to be grinning too much.

"What?!" he asked annoyedly, had he turned into a platypusbear or something?

"So." Hakoda started casually. "You want to marry my daughter." Zuko was completely floored _apparently bluntness runs in the family. _

"H-How did you know.. Sir?"

"Son your relationship with my daughter isn't exactly a secret and that." He motioned towards Katara's engagement necklace, "Isn't her mother's necklace." Zuko blushed feeling idiotic that he thought Hakoda wouldn't notice, _Of course he would he probably carved it for Kya himself._

"Well, you caught me. So what now?" Zuko asked honestly not having a clue about what happened next, Katara had pointedly refused to tell him, claiming that it "wouldn't be fair" and that it "would ruin the expression of shock and surprise on your face that I'm looking forward to" what she had told him left him with enough information to be nervous about it, but not enough that he actually knew what, exactly, he should be dreading.

Hakoda responded with a light of mischief dancing in his eyes, "Now, we let the games begin."

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_A/N So there you have it, a few of you were enthusiastic about this story so I decided that it was good enough to continue if only barely. Sorry for the late update on this, my computer has been a major spazzoid over the last month and its most recent favorite habit is to not allow me to save. So anyway read, enjoy and review,_

_Animetor777_

_Reviewers I'd like to thank_

_waterlit, SQUEE! You were the first reviewer of this story so here, virtual cookie for you! It's nice to know that my plots are interesting and don't seem bland or overused so thanks and let me know if I get to OOC with the characters I will try not to but it's nice to know if I'm crossing the line or not._

_inuyashafiend, it's cool that even though you had only read the first chapter you think that this story will be good, thanks and I hope to hear from you in the future._

_YolandaFriella Thank you so much for your review, I like to hear that people think that my writing is decent so thanks! And thank you for your encouragement in my continuation of this story, I hope to hear more from you soon._

_Thank you all,_

_Animetor777_


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